Centrifugal circuit breaker



Sept 21, 1948. E. w. RlcKMEYl-:R 2,449,862

CENTRIFUGAL CIRQUIT BREAKER Aryan/vn Sept. 21, 1948. E. w. RICKMEYER CENTRIFUGAL CIRCUIT BREAKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1944 NN .vv

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. :Nvu/rox ErhsT Walfen Rickmygr- BY A Kal@ TTRIVEY Patented Sept. 21, 1948 cEN'rmFUGAL cmcurr BREAKEB Ernst Walter Rickmeyer, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to Jefferson Electric Company, Bellwood, Ill., a corporation of Illinois l Application July 20, 1944, Serial No. 545,748

13 Clllml.

This invention relates to switches of the character described in my previously filed applications, Serial No. 530,123, filed April 8, 1944, now Patent No. 2,435,602, issued February 10, 1948, and Serial No. 534,446, filed May 6, 1944, now

abandoned. In switches of this character where the centrifugal force developed by rotation of the switch isrelatively low the problem of taking care, of the gas or air escape if the mercury moves Iinto the receiving chamber becomes an important factor in control of the rate of ow of the -mercury through the orifice. It has been found necessary therefore to provide some means whereby the gas inthe receiving chamber can escape into the contact chamber if the receiving chamber is filled with mercury. It is one purpose of this invention to provide a switch of this character with means whereby the gas can leak from the receiving chamber to the other side of the partition when sufficient centrifugal force has been developed to force the mercury into the receiving chamber, but at the same time the switch is maintained sealed to all intents and purposes against flow of mercury from one chamber to the other due to joltlng and tumbling incident to handling of the switch.

It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a novel orifice construction whereby the control of the passage of mercury from one chamber to the other is accomplished in a simple and effective manner in combination with the control of the reverse passage of air without the necessity of providing separate passages for air and mercury.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more ful-1y as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to be understood however that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofiar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face view of a. supporting member which is adapted to be rotated, showing my improved switch mounted thereon;

Flg. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a switch embodying my invention;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Eig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through a switch showing a slightly modified form of the invention wherein a special orifice construction is employed;

Fig. 6 is a face view of the orifice member utilized in Fig. 5;

Fig. 'I is a side edge view of the orifice member:

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through va switch utilizing a slightly modified form of orifice member;

Fig. 9 is a rear face view of the orifice member utilized in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a side edge view of the orifice member utilized in Fig. 8.

Referring now in detail to the drawings. the device as shown in Fig. 1 embodies a supporting member l0' having a slot Il therein which is adapted to receive the switch member i2. This supporting member I0 serves as a mounting for the switch i2 as shown in Fig. 1 and is provided with a central mounting aperture l1 that is adapted to receive a shaft on which the mounting .member i0 can be spun or rotated. The switch member as shown is provided with two terminals i3 and I4, the terminals extending through two apertures i5 and I6 of the member i0 to the rear face thereof where they are connected by any suitable means to the circuit to be controlled. The terminal member i4 is pressed onto the switch I2 land spot welded. This terminal member is also provided with laterally extending portions I8 and I9v which flt into corresponding slots provided in the member lll so as to position the switch in the member l0.

The switch itself is shown more in detail in Fig. 3 wherein the shell of the switch is indicated by the reference numeral 20. One end of the shell is reduced in diameter to provide a smaller portion 2| that forms a receiving chamber 22 and also provides a shoulder at 23 against which an orifice member 24 is positioned. The orifice member 24 has a central orifice 25 of predetermined cross section and in addition it has four peripheral notches 26 spaced 90 degrees apart for a .purpose which will presently appear.

Upon the orifice disk 24 I provide restriction means comprising, in this form of the invention, a series of layers 21 of filter paper.. These layers extend the full interior diameter of the shell 20 and rest directly upon the disk 24. As an example of the number of filter papers used I provide nine layers although this of course may be varied depending upon the speed with which it is desired to pass the mercury.

The filter papers 21 are held on the washeru lby a cup member 28 that fits snugly within the shell 2li. The cup'member 28 is provided with a central aperture 23 somewhat larger in cross section than the orince 25 so as not to restrict the mercury in its access to the illter paper 21. I'he cup 2l, which is desirably of copper or copper coated steel, has three grooves 33 in its periphery, the three grooves being spaced 120 degrees apart and extending axially of the cup. These grooves cooperate with the notches 29 to provide gas passage from the receiving chamber 22 between the outer wall oi the cup 28 and the inner wall of the shell 20. By arranging the three grooves 120 degrees apart about the cup, and the notches 29 at 90 degrees apart about the orifice disk with the angular extent of the notches being about 30 degrees each, there is at least one groove aligned with a notch in any position of the cup with respect to the disk. This is quite important in high speed assembly since it avoids any necessity of watching the alignment of the cup and disk with each other. The construction is such that the cup 23 fits tightly within the shell 2li so as to provide good electrical contact.

The open end of the shell 20 is adapted to receive a contact member 3| which preferably is constructed of Monel metal and which has a sleeve 32 of copper sweated thereon. The contact member 3i is carried by an assembly of insulating washers 33, 34 and 35, the washers 33 and 34 having a layer of neoprene or rubber 36 between them, the layer of nubber extending out-V wardly so that it can be doubled around the rim of the insulating Washer 34. A powdered sintered metal ring 31 is interposed between the open end of the cup 28 and the insulating washer 33. This ring is spaced from the center contact 3i. The cup 28 has its open end spaced from the shell as indicated at 38 so as to permit air or gas to contact the sintered metal rdng 31' throughout its periphery. The powdered sintered metal is sufficiently porous to permit the air to escape through it into the chamber 39 Within the cup 23 around the center contact 3l. However, it is of such fine porosity that the mercury itself will not escape outwardly through the sintered metal in the jolting and tumbling of the switch during handling. A suitable powdered sintered metal for this ring is described dn my co-pending application, Serial No. 534,446, now abandoned. Any other suitable porous material can be used. It must be understood however that the ring 31 is under compression and must be capable of withstanding the pressures necessary to seal the connection between the insulating washers and the shell 2U. It will be noted that the shell 20 ds reamed out as indicated at 43 for a substantial distance from its open end inwardly so as to receive the ring 31 and the contact carrying assembly. The end of the shell is then crimped over as indicated lat 4I so as to establish a mercury tight seal.

The center contact has the terminal member I3 secured to its outer end by turning over the metall of the center contact as indicated at 42.

In addition I provide an insulating disk 43 that` extends out over the crimped edge 4i of the shell 20 so las to prevent the possibility of short circuiting the terminal member i3 on the shell itself. It will be noted that the terminals I3 and i4 have their free ends I3' and I4 so arranged as to be spaced quite widely apart where they pass throrugh the apertures l and I6.

The switch just described is placed in the holder lli as shown in Fig. 1 with the chamber portion 22 (Fig. 3) disposed adjacent to the outer periphery of the holder I0. At the outset mercury is disposed in the chamber 39 as shown in Fig. 3 to a position well up along the sides of the contact member 3| so that the electrical circuit from the conductor I3 is completed through the contact member Il, copper sleeve 32, mercury in the chamber 33, the wall of cup 28 and finally to theother terminal member I4 through the walls of the shell 20. When the support/ing member Il is spun or rotated at a high speed about its central axis the centrifugal iorce of the body of mercury in the chamber 39 applied against the filter paper 21 forces the mercury through the pores or interstices in the filter paper so that after a predetermined period of spinning of the supporting member I0 the mercury passes from the chamber 33 into the chamber 22. It is apparent that after a suiliclent amount of mencury has passed from the chamber 39 into the chamber 22 the circuit through the switch is broken due to the break in contact between the mercury and the contact member 3l.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive, in this form of the invention the construction of the shell 20, the cup 23, the center contact member 3| the ring 31 and the connecting parts are the same as Iinthe other form of the invention. However, in Figs. 5 to '7, inclusive, the orifice disk 24 and the filter 21 are replaced by a restriction member 44 and'one or two layers 45 of illter paper or the like. In this form of the invention the disk 44 is provided on its opposite sides with central depressions 4I and 41. 'I'he central depression 48 is connected to the periphery of the disk 44"by a channel 48 in the surface of the disk. A-similar channel 49 connects the depression 41 to the periphery of the disk. 'I'he disk 44 may be constructed of the same material as the shell 20, that is, steel. For example, a threaded steel rod may be sliced to provide the disks 44. The entire periphery of the disk 44 is provided with a screw thread 50.

It will be observed from Fig. 7 that the grooves 48 and 49 directly intersect the opposite ends of the thread 50 so that passages are provided from the depressions 4i and 41 to the screw thread 53. When the switch is assembled as shown in Fig. 5 and rotated to develop centrifugal force the mercury will be forced through the lter paper 45 and then out through the channel 43 to the thread 50 and it will follow along the thread 5U 'untilit enters the chamber 22. The air or gas on the other hand -will travel in the opposite direction in the thread 50 and will escape along the grooves 30 to the space around the ring 31 so that it can pass through the ring 31 and to the chamber 39. The depression 41 and the channel 49 are provided in order to make the disk operate the same regardless of whether one face or the other is directed toward the cup 2l. The advantage of this construction is that the disks can be assembled mechanically in the shells without regard -to whether they are right or wrong side up. The iilter paper 45 acts as a seal to prevent transfer of the mercury under jolting, etc. incident to handling the switch. However, this lter paper is not effective to block the passage of the mercury under high pressure into the depression 46 and the channel 4I.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8, 9 and l0 a slightly different type of orifice disk is provided. According to this form of the invention an orifice disk 5| is seated against the shoulder 23 of the shell 20. This orifice disk is provided with a central screw threaded aperture 52 which is then plugged with a solid block 53 so that the screw threads o! the aperture 52 provide a spiral channel through the disk 5L 'I'his disk 5i is covered with one or two layers 45 of niter paper in the same manner as the filter paper 45 is used in Fig. 5. The disk 5| like the disk 24 is provided`with peripheral notches spaced 90 degrees apart. The arrangement of the notches is illustrated in Fig. 9 where they have been given the numeral 54. It will be noted that the disk i has a top portion 55 of sumcient diameter to extend out over the shoulder 23 and fit snugly within the larger diameter portion of vthe shell 20. The disk 5I has a portion 56 of somewhat smaller diameter to tlt within the chamber 22. The notches 54 are sufficiently deep to extend into the portion 58 of reduced diameter so that gas passages are provided from the charnber 22 through these notches and through the grooves 30 of the cup 28.

In this form of the device the block 53 is pressed into the disk 5I. The lter paper acts as a shutoff valve to retain the mercury against incidental jolting and tumbling of the switch in handling. However, when the switch is spun atrelatively slow speed the mercury will ow through the orifice 52 along the threads and the air in the chamber 22 will return through the notches 54, the grooves 30 and the ring 31 to the chamber 39.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the nature and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell, transverse partition means dividing the interior of said shell into two chambers, said partition means including a porous material capable of preventing passage of mercury under jolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch, but capable of passing mercury pressed against it at high pressure, means providing a gas vent from one side of said partition means to a point adjacent the remote end of the other chamber, said means comprising a passage along the wall of the shell and a barrier of porous material adjacent to said remote end, said barrier being capable of preventing passage of mercury under jolting, etc. incident to handling of the switch.

2. In a switch of the character described, a tu,- bular shell, transverse partition means dividing the interior of said shell into two chambers, said partition means including a porous material capable of preventing passage of mercury under jolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch, but capable of passing mercury pressed against it at high pressure, means providing a gas vent from one side of said partition means to a point adjacent the remote end of the other chamber, said means comprising a passage along the wall of theshell and a body of porous powdered sintered metal adjacent to said remote end upon which said passage opens.

3. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell, transverse partition means dividing the interior of said shell into two chambers, said partition means including a porous material capable of preventing passage of mercury underjolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch, but capable of passing mercury pressed against it at high pressure, means providing a gas vent from one side of said partition means to a point adjacent the remote end of the other chamber, said means comprising a passage along the wall 6 oi' the shell and a ring of porous powdered sintered metal adjacent to said remote end upon which said passage opens.

4. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell having both ends closed, a center conv tact extending into said shell from one end thereof and insulated from the shell, a partition in said shell setting off a chamber about said center contact, said partition including a restricted passageway through which mercury may be forced under pressure from said chamber, anda return passageway through ywhich gas can escape into the chamber from the other part of the shell, and porous material closing both passageways to prevent ow of mercury therethrough under low pressures and jolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch.

- 5. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell, transverse partition means dividing the interior of said shell into two chambers, said partition means including a porous material capable of preventing passage of mercury under jolting. etc., incident to handling of the switch, but capable of passing mercury pressed against it at high pressure, means providing a gas vent from one side of said partition means to the other side, and a restricted passage through said partition comprising an aperture in said partition coveredA by said porous material and a plug threaded into the aperture to partially block it and provide an elongated passage along the threads.

6. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell, a terminal thereon, a center contact extending into said shell from one end thereof, means including an insulating washer mounting said center contact on the shell and sealing the end of the shell, a cup in said shell having its open end toward the insulating washer, said cup having an aperture in the bottom, an orifice containing member in said shell adjacent the bottom of the cup, means including porous material restricting flow of mercury under high pressure through the orice and preventing such flow under relatively low pressures such as atmospheric pressure, and vent means comprising grooves in the peripheries of the cup and the oriiice member, the grooves being so spaced that a groove in the oriilce member is in communication with a groove in the cup in all positions of the cup and orifice member.

7. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell having both ends closed, a center contact extending into said shell from one end thereof and insulated from the shell, a partition in said shell setting off a chamber about said center contact, said partition including a restricted passageway through which mercury may be forced under pressure from said chamber, and a return passageway through which gas can escape into the chamber from the other part of the shell, and porous material closing bothv passageways to prevent ilow of mercury therethrough under low pressures and jolting, etc.,` incident to handling of the switch, said partition comprising a disk seated in said shell with its periphery engaging the shell, a spiral passage between the disk and shell, a layer of porous material on said disk, and means to hold said layer in place.

8. In a switch of the character described, a

tubular shell having both ends closed, a center contact extending into said shell from one end thereof and insulated from the shell, a partition in said shell setting oil a chamber about said center contact, said partition including a restricted passageway through which mercury may auassa be forced under pressure from said chamber, and a return passageway through which gas can escape into the chamber from the other part of the shell, and porous material closing both passageways to prevent flow of mercury therethrough under low pressures and jolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch, the porous material in one passageway comprising powdered sintered metal having a low amnity for mercury.

9. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell having both ends closed, a center contact extending into said shell from one end thereof and insulated from the shell, a partition in said shell setting oil' a chamber about said center contact, said partition including a restricted passageway through which mercury may be forced under pressure from said chamber. and a return passageway through which gas can escape into the chamber from the other part of the shell, and porous material closing both passageways to prevent now of mercury therethrough under low pressures and jolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch, said partition comprising a disk seated in said shell with its periphery engaging the shell, a spiral passage between the disk and shell, a layer of porous material on said disk, and means to hold said layer in place.- said disk having a depression in one side and a channel in the surface thereof from said depression to said spiral passage.

10. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell having both ends closed, a center contact extending into said shell from one end thereof and insulated from the shell, a partition in said shell setting off a chamber about said covered by said porous material and a plug threaded into the aperture to partially block it and provide an elongated passage along the threads, said gas vent including a ring of slid porous material.

g. 12. In a switch oi.' the character described, a tubular shell, a terminal thereon, a center contact extending into said shell from one end thereof. means including an insulating washer mounting said center contact on the shell and sealing the end of the shell, a cup in said shell having its open end toward the insulating washer, said cup having an aperture in the bottom, an orince containing member in said shell adlacent the bottom of the cup, means including porous material restricting flow of mercury under high pressure through the orice and preventing such dow under relatively low pressures such as atmospheric pressure, and vent means comprising center contact, said partition including a. re-

stricted passageway through which mercury may be forced under pressure from said chamber, and a return passageway through which gas can escape into the chamber from the other part of the shell, and porous material closing both passageways to prevent flow of mercury therethrough under low pressures and jolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch. said partition comprising a disk seated in said shell with its periphery engaging the shell, a spiral passage between the disk and shell, a layer of porous material on said disk, and means to hold said layer in place, said disk having central depressions in the opposite faces thereof and channels in said faces extending from the depressions to the ends of said spiral. n

11. In a switch of the character described, a tubular shell, transverse the interior of said shell into two chambers, said partition means including a porous material capable of preventing passage of mercury under jolting, etc., incident to handling of the switch, but capable of passing mercury pressed against it at high pressure, means providing a gas vent from one side of said partition means to the other side, and a restricted passage through said partition comprising an aperture in said partition partition means dividing grooves in the peripheries of the cup and the oriiice member, the grooves being so spaced that a groove in the orifice member is in communication with a groove in the cup in all positions of the cup and orifice member, there being three grooves in one and four grooves in the other periphery. s 13. In a switch oi' the character described, a tubular shell, a terminal thereon, a center contact extending into said shell from one end thereof, means including an insulating washer mounting said center contact on the shell and sealing the end of the shell, a cup in said shell having its open end toward the insulating washer, said cup having an aperture in the bottom. an oriiice containing member in said shell adjacent the bottom of the cup, means including porous material restricting flow of mercury under high pressure through the orifice and preventing such now under relatively low pressures such as atmospheric pressure, and vent means comprising grooves in the peripheries of the cup and the orifice member, the grooves being so spaced that a' groove in the orifice member is in communicavtion with a groovegin the cup in all positions of the cup and orifice member, the orifice comprising a screw thread in said orifice containing member and a thin layer of porous material covring the inlet to said screw thread.

ERNST WALTER RICKMEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the .file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 923,129 Schweitzer et al. May 25, 1909 1,162,516 Richmond Nov. 30. 1915 1,917,581 Gillen July 11, 1933 2,182,216 Staley Dec. 5, 1939 2,219,496 Staley Oct. 29, 1940 2,228,251 Bear et al Jan. 14, 1941 

